Where can I get the new 2015 California compliant acknowledgment forms? — S.M., Redwood City, California

As of January 1, the state of California will require the following consumer notice to be included in a box at the top of acknowledgment, jurat and proof of execution notarial certificates:

“A Notary Public or other officer completing this certificate verifies only the identity of the individual who signed the document to which this certificate is attached, and not the truthfulness, accuracy, or validity of that document.”

There are several ways to obtain certificates that have the compliant language. If you are an NNA member, the updated certificates are available immediately at no cost as a member benefit. Just log in to your NNA profile and download the PDFs.

If you are not an NNA member, you may purchase Notary certificates with the 2015-compliant language.

The California Secretary of State’s office will have a PDF of acknowledgements and jurats available for download at no charge. However, the forms are not yet online, and are expected to be available on January 1.

Note that certificates with the updated 2015 wording are compliant with current California law and may be used immediately. For more information, see our Notary Bulletin article, “New Mandatory California Notary Certificate Wording Takes Effect January 1.”

David Thun is an Associate Editor at the National Notary Association.